HIPPO

By using HIPPO, historians can gain a deeper understanding of historical documents, considering not just what is written, but the broader circumstances and additional knowledge that give meaning to the text. Here’s a breakdown of each component and how historians use them:

1. Historical Context

Definition: The background information surrounding the creation of the document. This includes the events, conditions, and cultural norms of the time.

Use by Historians: Historians place the document within the larger framework of what was happening at the time. This helps them understand why the document was created and how it relates to broader historical events.

• Example: When analyzing a speech given by a political leader, historians consider the political climate, major events leading up to the speech, and the social issues of the time.

• Questions to ask yourself: Where and when was the source produced? What do you know about that time period? To what broad historical themes does the source relate? 

2. Intended Audience

Definition: The specific group or individuals the document was directed towards.

Use by Historians: Identifying the intended audience helps historians understand the language, tone, and content of the document. It reveals what the creator wanted to communicate and how they expected the audience to respond.

• Example: When examining a propaganda poster, historians look at who it was meant to influence (e.g., citizens, soldiers) and how it was designed to appeal to their emotions and beliefs.

• Questions to ask yourself: For whom was the source created? How might this affect the reliability & message of the source?

3. Purpose

Definition: The reason the document was created. This could be to inform, persuade, record, or serve another function.

Use by Historians: Determining the purpose helps historians understand the motivations behind the document. It provides insight into the creator's goals and intentions.

• Example: In analyzing a government report, historians consider whether it was intended to inform policy, justify actions, or persuade public opinion.

• Questions to ask yourself: Why was this source produced at the time it was produced? How might this information affect the message & ideas of the source?

4. Point of View

Definition: The perspective and bias of the document’s creator. This includes their personal background, experiences, and possible motivations.

Use by Historians: Assessing the point of view helps historians identify biases and understand how the creator’s perspective influenced the content and tone of the document.

• Example: When studying a diary entry, historians consider the writer's personal experiences, social status, and potential biases to better understand their account of events.

• Questions to ask yourself: Analyze the author’s gender, social background, economic status, political persuasion, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and race. How does the author’s point of view shape their views & affect their reliability?

5. Outside Information

Definition: Additional historical facts and knowledge that are not explicitly mentioned in the document but are relevant to understanding it fully.

Use by Historians: Incorporating outside information allows historians to fill in gaps and provide a fuller context for the document. It helps them connect the document to broader historical narratives and verify its accuracy.

• Example: When interpreting a treaty, historians use outside information about the events leading up to the treaty, other relevant treaties, and the long-term consequences of the agreement.

• Questions to ask yourself: What other specific example can you explain that answers the question beyond what is in the provided documents? *Should be a TERM, PERSON or EVENT. Think about what else you have read or heard about the topic that helps support your argument.

Applying HIPPO to Primary Sources

Historians use HIPPO to thoroughly analyze and interpret primary sources, making connections between the document and its historical context. This method allows for a deeper and more critical understanding of the past. Here’s how historians apply HIPPO:

• Contextual Analysis: By situating a document within its historical context, historians can better understand its significance and impact.

• Audience Insight: Recognizing the intended audience helps historians decipher the document’s message and purpose.

• Purpose Identification: Understanding the creator’s purpose clarifies why the document was produced and what it aimed to achieve.

• Bias Detection: Analyzing the point of view allows historians to detect biases and understand the creator’s perspective.

• Comprehensive Understanding: Using outside information, historians can connect the document to broader historical themes and events, providing a more complete picture.

Sentence Frames: 

Historical Context – What else do you know about the author, time period, and/or an event that helps give the bigger picture of what was going on related to the specific document? 

• Living back then, this person would have experienced…. 

• Some things that were different back then were… 

• Even though much is different, it is important to remember that… was probably the same. 

• Back then people would have been (worried about) or (hoping for)… 

• It is important to understand that …. happened during … because people at that time would have…

• Meanwhile…

• This fits into…

• This makes sense because nationality/internationally at the time…

• …was a time of…because across the nation/world…

Intended Audience – Who is the author writing to and why? How does this support your thesis?

• The speaker addresses _____ because/since he/she says, “______.” 

• The intended audience for this (speech, text, or piece) is ____ because _____. 

• Because the speaker says, “_____”, the intended audience must be _____. 

• The (projected, anticipated, intended, etc.) audience must be _____ since the speaker says, “_____.” 

• After (reading, viewing, listening to) the (speech, text, or piece), the speaker’s intended audience is _____ because _____.

Purpose – Why is the author writing or making this speech? How does the purpose of the document support your thesis?

• The purpose of the (speech, text, or piece) is _____ because _____. 

• The speaker’s intended focus is _____ because _____. 

• The speaker’s point is _____ because _____. 

• The main idea of the (speech, text, or piece) is ____ since the speaker says, “______.” 

• After (reading, viewing, listening to) the (speech, text, or piece), it is clear that the (author’s, speaker’s, etc.) purpose is ____ because _____.

• The author’s purpose is to (show, point out, suggest, inform, persuade, convince, entertain) in order to / so that ______________________________ because

Point of View – What about the author (ACORNPEG) made them make the statement? Why would the authors point of view make the document more or less reliable/valid? How does the authors point of view support your thesis?

• This __________(letter, speech, etc--type of document) is most likely biased because _________.

• ____________(the author) is probably saying ______________ in an attempt to ______________.

• ___________ (the author) is probably saying ____________ because he/she is a __________.

• ___________ (the author) probably felt this way because as a ___________ (occupation, social status, nationality, etc), he believed ___________.

• _____________ (name of document) is likely propaganda and therefore unreliable since it was created by _____________________.

• Not surprisingly, as a  ______________ (occupation, social status, etc), ______________(the author) said ______________ because .

Outside Informaiton/Synthesis/Significance – What else can you relate/connect the DBQ/document to in relation to other time periods/current events, historical themes (PRIDE), and interdisciplinary subjects (math, science, technology, etc.)

• This continues/evolves into…

• This relates to…because…

• According to…it could be argued…

• This theme persists/isn’t new, it was/is seen in…

• This is similar to…because….

• This connects to… because…